Can-closing machine



L. C. SHARP.

CAN CLOSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED was. 1916.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. C. SHARP.

CAN CLOSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY s. 1916. 1,389,704.

TENT OFFICE.

LEE 0. EHARP, OF PLATTSMGU'IH, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN CAN COM-EANY, 0]? NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 015' NEW JERSEY.

oan-onosineriacrrrua.

Lasagna.

H Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sepa 6, rear.

Application filed July 3, 19-16. Serial No. 107,219.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Linn C. SHARP, a

State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCan-Closing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

1 My invention relates to machines for securing the covers on cans, orcylindrical sheet-metal containers, of the kind in which the cover issecured to the can-body by rolling or double-seaming the edges of thecover to the flanged end of the body,'and the machine provided' by myinvention is intended particularly for use in closing or covering cansafter the same havebeen filled. It is the object of my invention toprovide a simple, durable and economically operable machine for thispurpose, having means for clamping the covers thereon prior to thebeginning of the seaming or rolling operation, means for rapidlyrevolving the cans on their own axes after the clamping of the coversthereon, rotary. carrying means for moving the revolving cans eithercontinuously and uniformly or intermittently and variably pastseaming-rollers that are mounted on stationary axes, and means forautomatically feeding the cans onto and removing them. from the rotarycarrying means. Subordinate objects of my invention relate totheparticular structure and arrangement of the mechanism for performing theenumerated functions, and include the provision of special driving andactuating means for revolving the cans, for actuating the rotarycarrying devices, and for operating the feeding and ejecting means insynchronism with the carrying devices. further object of my invention isto provide in a machine of this kind, seaming-rollers which may beadjusted while the machine is in operation, the said rollers beingaccessible and rotatable on normally-fixed axes, and to provide acooperating movable seaming-roller for facilitating the formation of theseam at a certain critical stage of the operation. A further ob'ect ofmy invention is to provide a mac ine of this kimt whereof the generalstructure and arrangement is such as to enable a large output therefromwhile employing a" minimum amount of, floor-space, and in which thedriving mechanism and movable parts are so arranged as to be in the mainself-inclosed and protected, and to aliord the greatest safety andprotection to the operator.

on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 6, Fig. 3 1s a detail horizontalsection on the plane of the line 33 of Fig. 4, Fig. 4 is a detailvertical section through the head of one of the chuck-spindles, Fig. 5is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 isa horizontal sectionon the plane of the line 6--6 of Fig. -1, Fig. 7 isa detail rear elevation of a portion of the driving mechanism, Fig. 8 isa detail section on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 5, and Figs. 9 to13, inclusive, are diagrammatic plan views showing successive positionsof the can-feeding and ejecting devices.

In theillustrated embodiment of my invention the operating mechanism ismounted on a fixed support consisting of a base or footing 14, acylindrical vertical column 15 integral with said base, and a smallertubuaxial and integral with the column 15. A horizontal circular table17 rests upon the upper end of the column 15, said table being integralwith a sleeve 18 which fits revolubly upon the center post 16.andextends up from the table to a point near the upper end of said centerpost. In the upper surface of the circular table 17 there are a plularcolumn or center-post 16 which is corality of cylindrical recesses orpockets A which are spaced equidistantly from each other and atuniformlradial distances from the vertical axis, orcenter of the post16, about which the table is revoluble. In said pockets circular platesor .disks 19 are held revolubly, said disks preferably resting uponanti-friction bearings formed by balls 20 moving in suitable circularraces in the lower sides of theplates and the bottoms of the pockets inthe table. faces of the disks 19 are flush with the surface of thetable. 0n the sleeve 18, slightly above the table, there are radiallyextending spacing-fingers 21 having between them semi-cylindricalpockets or recesses which The upper s ura are alined coaxially with therevoluble disks .the recesses between the. spacing-fingers 21.

On the intermediate portions of the spindles 24, between thebea'ringstherefor in the arms 22 and 23, pulleys 25 are secured asshown,

said pulleys being engageable by a drivingbelt to rotate them during acertain portion of their movement, about the axis of the center-post 16,as hereinafter described.

The upper portions of the spindles, above the hearings in the arms 23,pass revolubly through head-blocks 26 collars 27being secured to thespindles above and below said head-blocks as shown in Fig. 4, so thatthe blocks and spindles are retained in fixed vertical relation to eachother. The sides of the head-blocks have laterally extended arcuateportions, shown in Fig. 3, which fit slidably 7 against the flanges of astationary groovecam or trackway 28, the latter being secured to thecenter-post 16 above theend of the revolving sleeve 18. On the innersides of the head-blocks, rollers 29 are revolubly mounted on axes whichextend radially to the center-post, and said rollers fit between theflanges of the trackway. 28, so that the spindles are moved verticallyby said trackway during' the rotation of the sleeve 18 about thecenter-post. The lower ends of the spindles carry heads or chucks 30 forengaging the covers of the cans to clamp the same onto the can-bodiesprior to the seaming operation, said chucks also cooperating with theseaming-rollers during the seaming operation, as will appearhereinafter.

In the operation of the machine the cans A, after being filled, have thecovers B, laid loosely thereon and are fed onto the rotating table so asto rest upon the disks 19, being centered thereon by passing'into thepbckets between the spacing-fingers 21, and

4 being thus positioned beneath the heads or chucks 30 on thecorresponding spindles.

To the upper end of the stationary centerpost 16 there is secured a hood31 having depending marginal flange-portions which extend down aroundthe cam-tracks 28 and the upper bearings for the spindles, so as tosubstantially inclose the same. A convenient means for driving themechanism is afforded by mounting on top of the hood 31 an electricmotor32 of which the shaft extends horizontally and carries at its 0 p0-site ends pulleys 33 and 34, as shown. rom the pulley 34 a belt 35 isextended downwardly and passes around idler-pulleys 36 and 37 mounted onsuitable brackets that extend out from the side of the hood. The.

axesof the pulleys 36 and 37 are arranged, in accordance with well-knownprinciples of belting, so that the lower portion of the belt 35 mayextend in a horizontal plane around the pulleys 25, engaging theperipheral portions of the sa me as if they were parts of a largerpulley moving on an axis concentric with thepost 16. Those of thepulleys 25, which at any moment are at the side adjacent to the idlers37 are not engaged by the belt, butv as the spindles are carried aroundby the rotation of the sleeve 18 the pulleys are successively engaged bythe belt so that the spindles are driven thereby at high speed. From thepulley 33 a belt 38 is extended downwardly and around idlerpulleys 39and 41 carried on a bracket 40 secured to the hood, as shown. From theidlers 41 the belt again extends downwardly and around idlers 42, thenceextending in horizontally and around a pulley 43. Said pulley is carriedon the lower end of a shaft 44 which is journaled in the outer end of aradius-arm 45, the latter being pivotally mounted on a stub-shaft 46disposed within the column 15 coaxially with the center-post 16, and theside of the column having a suitable opening therein through which theradius-arm extends. .At the upper end of the shaft 44 the same carries apinion 47 which meshes with an annular or internal gear 48 formed on theinner side of a depending mar 'nal flange on the table 17. When the raius arm 45 is held in a fixed position, the pinion 47 drives the gear48, the table, and the sleeve 18 at a uniform rotational speed about theaxis of the center-post. Means for so holding the radius-arm areprovided as follows: Near the upper end of the column 15 there aresecured to the sides thereof the ends of a bracket 49 having an outercurved or arcuate ortion extending slightly below and beyond themarginal portion of the table 17. On said bracket there is fixedlysecured a stud 50 which extends down vertically therefrom, and upon athreaded portion of the stud there is rotatably disposed a cylindricalnut 51 having a plurality of radial arms 52 by which it may be turned.At the outer portion of the radius-arm 45 there is anarm- 53 integraltherewith and having a head with a curved slot therein extendingconcentrically with the stub-shaft on which the radius-arm is mounted.Said slotted head of. the arm 53 fits slidably around the stud 50,- andat a part of the head coincident with one end of the curved slot thereis a cylindricalrecess or counterbore 54 into which the lower endof thenut 51 may be moved by screwing the same downwardly upon the stud. Whenthe nut is so engaged in the counterbore 54 the radiusarm is therebyheld in fixed position, and therotary movement of the table 17 isuniform, as before mentioned.

. Instead of imparting a uniform rotational movement to the table,however, it is fre? quently, and in fact usually, desirable that themovement be alternately retarded and accelerated, or fully intermittent,so that the table will be stopped at certain positions, or in passingsaid positions will be moved very slowly proportionally to the rate ofmovement thereof between such positions. A convenient means foreffecting such variable movement of the. table, at the ,will of theoperator, is provided as follows: The bearing in the radius-arm 45, forthe shaft 44, is divided and on said shaft betweenthe upper and lowerportions of the bearing there is secured an eccentric 55.

Said eccentric fits revolubly within an ec-,

centric-strap 56 having a rod or' stem 57 which is longitudinallyslotted and fits slidably around the stud 50 above the nut 51.

At a position coinciding with one end of the slot therein, said rod 57has a cylindrical counterbore into which the nut 51 may be moved byscrewing the same upwardly upon the stud, such movement of the nutsimultaneously disengaging it from the arm 53 as will be apparent fromFig. 8. With the nut 51 in the described upper position, the radius-armis left free to swing about the axis of'the stub-shaft 46, and theeccentricrod 57 is pivotally connected with the stud 50, so that'dufingrotation of the shaft 44 the radius-arm is caused to swing or. oscillateabout its pivotal axis in accordance with the movements of theeccentric. During such oscillatory movements the shaft 44 continues tobe driven at a substantially uniform rate by the belt 38, the idlers 42being so positioned as to enable the swinging movements to be madewithout materially altering the tension of the belt or causing it tobecome disengaged from the pulley 43.

Thus during the oscillation or swinging of the radius-arm the pinion 47remains constantly in mesh with the gear 48 .andeontinues to rotateabout its own axis eta uniform rate, but, owing to the swinging movementof the pinion-axis, the pinion is enabled to roll planetarily upon thegear when the swinging movement isin the directionopposite to that inwhich the gear is being driven, so that movement of the gear isretarded, while during the swinging movement in the other direction themovement of "the gear is correspondingly accelerated. By

suitably proportioning the eccentric, the

.throw of which determines the extent of the swinging movement, theretardation of movement'of the gear and table 17 may be made such thatthere willbe a momentary pause or stoppage of the movement once duringeach revolution of the pinion. The diametral ratio of the pinion andgear is made such that the stopping positions, or the positions ofgreatest, retardation of movement of the rotating table 17, will bereached when the disks 19 are successively at like positions withrespect to the stationary parts. There are in the illustrated.construction, six of the disks and of the corresponding spindles 24,heads 30, and pockets between the spacing-fingers, and the pinion 47 isso proportioned as to make six revolutions to one revolution of the gearand table.

At one side of the machine there is arranged feeding and ejectingmechanism, for automatically placing the cans upon the rotating tablepreparatory to seaming the covers thereon, and for. removing them fromthe table after the covers have been seamed onto the can-bodies. For theabove purpose there are rovided two track-plates 58 and 59, of a widthslightly greater than the diameter" of the can-bodies A, said platesbeing suitably supported and arranged so that their upper surfaces areflush with the surmovement of the table, as shown in Fig. 6.

On the side of the column 15, at a position intermediate between theadjacent ends of the track-plates 58 and 59, there is secured a bracket62 having in the outer end thereof a bearing'for a vertical shaft 63whichcarries at the lower end thereof an annular or internal gear 64. Inthe inner end of the bracket 62 thereis formed a bearing for a shaft 65which carries at its upper end a pinion 66 which meshes with the gear 48of the rotating table, and at the lower end of said shaft 65 there iscarried a pinion '67 which meshes with the gear 64. A shield orguard-plate 68 is secured to the bracket 62 and extends over and aroundthe edges of the gear 64 so as to substantially inclose the same and thepinion 67. 'The ratio of the pinion 66 to the gear 48 is the same as theratio of the pinion 67 to the gear 64, so that by the driving connectionprovided as described the shaft 63 is caused to rotate at the same speedand in the same direction as the table 17. On the upper end of the shaft63 there is secured a star-wheel 69 of which the arms are so arranged asto sweep over the adjacent portions of thetable and of the track-plates58 and 59, during rotation of the shaft, The number of arms on thestar-wheel is the same as the number of sets of can-engaging devicescarried by the rotating table and sleeve 18. The operation of thefeeding and ejecting devices may be .ing-fingers 21.

clearly understood by reference to Fig. 6 and Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive.U The filled cans, with the-covers loosely applied thereto, are placedupon the track-plate 58 and are moved inwardly toward the table 17either by hand or by any suitable conveying means, until said cans areengaged by the arms-of the star-wheel and begin to be actuated thereby.The inwardly-moving cans are first engaged by. the star-wheel when atabout the position of the can shown at a in'Figs. 11 and 12, resting onthe plate 58. Successive positions of the can are indicated at Z) inFig. 13, at c in Fig. 6, at (Z in Fig. 9, at e in Fig. 10, at f in Fig.11, at g in Fig. 12, and finally at h in Fig. 13, where the can is fullyseated between the spacing-fingers 21 and centered with the respectivedevices for clamping and rotating it. The ejection of the cans begins atthe position m shown in Fig. 11, and from such position the cansuccessively occupies the positions a, 0, p, q, r, s, t', and u, shownrespectively in Figs. 12, 18, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. From the lastnamed position the can may be removed by hand or by any suitableconveying means, or it may be left to be pushed farther along thetrack-plate 59 by the other cans that follow it. By tracing the courseof the cans through the successive positions above designated,it willbeseen that the movements thereof are a resultant of two principalfactors, namely, the rotation of the star-wheel, and the rotation of thetable and the spac- Tt will be seen, however, that the movements of thecans are also slightly influenced by two stationary guiding members,formed by the inner end portions of the rails 60 and 61, the firstserving to prevent the cans being pushed outwardly from the center ofthe rotatin table, and the second serving to prevent t e cans slidingout of reach of the star-wheel arms while being pushed onto thereceiving track-plate 59. The rail 60 likewise prevents the cans beingpushed sidewise off the plate 58 when first engaged by thestar-wheelarms.

The cam-track 28 is so proportioned and arranged that the spindles 24and heads or'chucks 30 will be raised while passing around the side ofthe machine adjacent to the feeding andejecting devices, and so thatsaid chucks 30 will be moved down to clamp the covers onto the cans justafter the same have been centered beneath the chucks, as at the positionh in Fig. 13. Just after the clamping of the cover onto the-can by thedownward movement of the respective spindle, the pulley 25 carried bysaid spindle isengaged by the driving-belt 35, so that the s indle andthe can clamped between the c uck and table-disk 17 are set into rapidrotation, such motion being continued until the spindle has moved aroundalmost to the can-releasing position adjacent to the inner end of thereceiving track-plate 59. During the described rotation of the-can,

and while the devices holding the same are moving through theintermediate part of their path between the receiving and ejectingpositions, the rotating can is moved past a plurality of seaming-rollerswhich engage and roll the edge of the cover to double-seam the same ontothe flanged end of the can-body. For supporting said seaming-rollers,there is provided a horizontal arcuate plate 71 which is connected withthe bracket 49 bystandards 72 and 73, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6. Thestandard 73 has a downwardly extended portion which is used forsupporting the idlerpulleys 42'. On the upper side of the plate 71 aplurality of clamp-blocks 74 are fixedly secured, said blocks eachhaving a cylindrical opening therein extending radially of thecenter-post 16. In said openings of the clamp-blocks n, stems 75 areadjustably held by means of set-screws 76, and on the inner ends of. thestems are head 77 in which are journaled, the stems 78 of the rollers70. Said rollers are thus held revolubly in positions such that theirperipheral portions may engage the can-covers as the rotating cans arecarried past the rollers by the movement of the table. The requiredforms of the several rollers and the detailed operations thereof inrolling the seam are well known in the art and-need not be describedherein. It may be noted, however, that the rollers are held on fixedaxes, being movable by adjusting the posit-ions of the stems 75 in theclamp-blocks 74, only for the purpose of compensating wear or to securea proper working relation of each roller to the cans Besides the rollers70, which revolve on axes parallel with the axes of the cans, it isdesirable at a certain stage of formation of the seam to employ a roller79 which is revoluble on an axis radial to the table, and which ismovable vertically, or axially of the can. Such a roller is shown ashaving the stem thereof journaled in the head 80 of a stem 81 which ismovable vertically through a guide 82 formed integrally with thestandard 73. Movement of said stem 81 is limited by a transverse pin 83which extends into a slotin the guide, and a spring 84, arranged in arecess in the guide as shown in Fig. 2, presses the stem downwardly. Atthe lower end of the stem is a foot-piece 85 which is engageable bycam-lugs 86 on the edge of the rotating table 17, to raise the stem andnnove the roller 79 into operative position at the proper intervals.

From the foregoing the operation of the machine as a whole will bereadily apparent. It may be noted that a suflicient number of theseaming rollers 70, may be provided to so sub-divide the seamingoperation as to en- V able the same to be performed with thesuppreferable, however, to employ the variablespeed driving devicesforthe table, so that the movement thereofwill be retarded, or momentarilystopped, at successive positions such that the cans will be positionedopposite certain of the seaming-rollers, as shown in Fig. 6, thusenabling a longer relative period of engagement between the cans andseaming-rollers, while the average speed of the table, or the number ofrevolutions thereof made in a given period of time, remains the same asif its movement were uniform and continuous.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a can-closing machine, a horizontal table rotatable about avertical axis, a plu rality of rotatable and vertically movable spindlesspaced equally about the axis of the table, and mounted in bearingsfixedly connected with the table, chucks disposed terminally upon thespindles, means for moving the spindles toward and away from the tableto clamp cans and covers between the same and the chucksduring a part ofthe movement about the table-axis, means for rotating the spindlesduring the clamping of the cans and covers, from which rotating meanssaid spindles are periodically disconnected, and seaming-rollers mountedon fixed axes adjacent to the path of the cans and covers so as to beengaged thereby while the covers are clamped on the cans.

2. In a can closing machine, the combination of a rotary can carryingtable, individual rotatable means on said table, for supporting a seriesof cans,'relatively fixed can seaming devices arranged to be engaged bythe flanges of the cans and can ends as the latter'are presented by therotation of said table, can rotating spindles having chucks dependingabove the cans and adapted to engage the ends thereof, means for movingsaid spindles vertically, and means for rotating said spindles withwhich the spindles are connected and are disconnected by the rotation ofthe table, the spindles bein connected to be rotated only when the angesof the cansare presented to the seaming devices.

3. In a machine of the classdescribed, a

v series of rotary and axially movable spindles spaced equally about acommon axis and mounted in bearings movable about said axis, pulleysmounted on said spindles, a driving belt passing about said axis andengaging the pulleys carried by all the spindles except those at oneside of the common axis, the pulleys being vertically movable withinsaid belt, and means for moving the spindle-bearings to engage thepulleys successively with said driving belt.

at. In a can closing machine, the combination of a series of spindlesmounted to revolve on a common axis, means for imparting reciprocationto said'spindles during a portion of said revolution so as to lift thespindles, a belt engaging said spindles dur ing a portion of theremainder of the travel of saidspindles to produce rotation of themabout their individual axes, a can carrier table below said spindleshaving individual rotary means for supporting the cans, said table beingrevoluble with said series of spindles, and adjustable means forimparting to said table and spindles a movement of constant speed or amovement of variable speeds.

5. In a machine of the class described, a

- rotary table adapted to carry rotating filled can bodies, seamingdevices located above said table and in position to seam said cans,actuating means for rotatin the table to present the cans to saidseaming device and means for gradually and without abrupt stoppageretarding and accelerating the movement of the table whereby it is givena variable movement tocause a dwelling of the cans at successivepositions adjacent the several seaming devices.

6. In a machine of the class described, a rotary table, chuck-disksrevolubly mounted therein, chucks alined axially with said disks andmovable to clamp cans and their covers between the same and the disks,means for actuating the chucks to rotate the clamped cans and covers, aseries of relatively fixed seaming devices arranged peripherally of thetable, actuating means for rotating, the table to carry the cans pastthe seaming devices, and means for gradually and without abrupt stoppageretarding and accelerating the movement of the table whereby it is givena variable movement to cause a dwelling of the cans at successivepositions adjoining the several seaming devices, said retarding andaccelerating means being adjustable to give the cans an alternately fastand slow movement.

7. ln a machine of the class described, a horizontal rotary tableadapted to receive the filled can bodies, seaming devices located abovesaid table and in position to seam the cans as they are presentedthereto, rotating means for positioning the cans accurately upon saidtable and for removing them therefrom,'actuating means for rotating saidtable and said means and a variable speed control for said actuatingmeans, said control causing gradually accelerated and retarded movementofithe table to prolong on to the table and removing them therefrom.

8. Ina machine of the class described, a horizontal rotary table adapted'to receive the filled can bodies, seaming devices located above saidtable and in position to seam the cans as they are presented thereto,rotating means for positioning the cans accurately upon said i table andfor removing them therefrom, actuating means for rotating said table andsaid means and a variable speed ,control for actuating said means, saidcontrol causing gradually accelerated and retarded movement of the tableto prolong the action of said seaming device and producing alsocorresponding acceleration and retardation of the means feeding the canson to the table and removing them therefrom, said speed control beingadjustable.

9. In a machine of the class described, a horizontal rotary tableadapted to receive the filled can bodies, seaming devices located abovesaid table and in position to seam the cans as they are presentedthereto, rotating means for positioning the cans ac curately upon saidtable and for removing them therefrom, actuating means for rotating saidtable andsaid means and a variable speed control for said actuatingmeans, said control causing gradually accelerated and retarded movementof the table to prolong the action of said seaming device and producingalso corresponding acceleration and retardation of the means feeding-thecans on to the table and removing them therefrom, said speed controlbeing adjustable from a continuous movement to an accelerating andretarding one. I

10. In a machine of the class described, a rotating table, seaming rollsmounted thereabout, rotatable means for engaging the can ends to producerotation of the cans about their own axes, said can rotating meansheing'independent of the table and producing rotation of the seamingrolls as the cans are engaged thereby, and means for continuouslyrotating said table with gradually variable speeds relative to saidseaming rolls;

11. in a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotatingtable, devices on said table for holding filled cans in predeterminedpositions, seaming rolls mounted about the travel of said table, one ofsaid rolls being adapted to engage Without and above the seam andanother to be lifted from beneath and under the seam, said table havingmeans tor lifting said last mentioned roll.

Signed in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEE C. SHARP. Witnesses:

BfA. Rosnnonans, FRANK J. LIBERSHAL,

